Luke 19

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.

And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.

And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:

For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.

(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)

For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.

And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?

And they said, The Lord hath need of him.

And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.

And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.

And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;

Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.

And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;

Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,

And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

What does Luke 19:10 mean?

Explanation

Luke 19:10 is a succinct statement by Jesus expressing His mission, to seek out and save humanity, which He describes as "that which was lost." The immediate context of this verse is the story of Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector who was considered a sinner and was socially marginalized.

Zacchaeus's encounter with Jesus led to his repentance and salvation.

On the face of it, the verse suggests Jesus's role as a seeker and savior, but the deeper meaning implies a broader outreach to all individuals who are spiritually lost, regardless of their social status, and Jesus's purpose in initiating that redemptive relationship.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

This verse, part of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament, is situated during the period of Jesus's itinerant ministry throughout Judea.

It reflects the historical setting where tax collectors were often despised by the Jewish population for their collaboration with the Roman authorities and their role in the unjust collection of taxes.

Luke's gospel portrays Jesus's engagement with various social outcasts of that time, such as the tax collectors and sinners, which was revolutionary in the context of the strict Jewish social norms and religious purity laws.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse has several dimensions:

Soteriology (the doctrine of salvation): It presents Jesus as the savior of humanity.
Christology (the doctrine of Christ): It affirms Jesus's self-awareness of His mission as the Son of Man, a title with messianic connotations.
Missiology (the doctrine of mission): It demonstrates the mission of Christianity to actively seek out those in need of spiritual guidance.

Different denominations lend various degrees of emphasis to the universal versus selective redemption implied in this verse.

For example, Calvinists may refer to this verse to support the idea of the effectual call of the elect, while Arminians might argue it supports the general call to all humanity.

Practical Applications

This verse can prompt self-reflection about personal outreach and inclusiveness.

Believers may consider how they engage with others who are considered 'outsiders' or 'lost' within their own community.

It may also empower Christians to participate actively in social justice, echoing Jesus's engagement with marginalized individuals.

Furthermore, the verse can inspire acts of compassion and evangelism, with the understanding that outreach is a central aspect of Christian discipleship.

Cross-References

Matthew 18:11: "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."
John 3:16-17: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Ezekiel 34:16: "I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick..."
1 Timothy 1:15: "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, key words and phrases include:

"the Son of Man" (ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου): A phrase with echoes of Daniel 7:13, used by Jesus to refer to Himself in a messianic role.
"seek" (ζητέω): To actively seek out, search for, or desire to find.
"save" (σῴζω): To save, deliver, or protect; often with implications of eternal salvation.
"that which was lost" (τὸ ἀπολωλὸς): Describing something that is lost or destroyed, often used in a spiritual sense of being lost from God's path.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Other religions and myths have notions of gods seeking out humanity, but the Christian concept as shown in this verse is unique in the personal and sacrificial nature of the search and salvation.

In other religions, gods might require humans to prove themselves worthy.

For instance, in Greek mythology, humans often have to undertake daunting quests to receive favor from the gods.

In contrast, Luke 19:10 implies a god who initiates the relationship and seeks individuals regardless of their merit.

Scientific Perspectives

Luke 19:10 does not directly intersect with scientific understandings, as it speaks to spiritual and theological themes.

However, in broader terms, scientific studies on altruism might reflect the verse's underlying principle of seeking to aid the 'lost' or marginalized individuals, indicating that such behavior has evolutionary and social benefits in human society.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians have long pondered this verse.

William Barclay highlights that Jesus came to call not the self-righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Howard Marshall emphasizes that salvation is God's initiative in seeking the lost.

John Calvin reflects on the mercy of Christ as the doctor to the sick.

These perspectives underscore the theological consensus that Jesus's mission was, fundamentally, one of redemption and reconciliation.

Luke 19

Luke 19

What does Luke 19:10 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 19:10 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?